Complement walking exercises with a yoga practice to improve your wellness and fitness.

Walking 30 minutes a day helps create optimal health, including trimming waistlines, reducing high risks of medical conditions, boosting energy and lowering stress. Keep putting one foot in front of the other because walking is an inexpensive exercise that’s easy and typically doesn't cause injuries. Walking also serves as a gateway exercise to a variety of other workouts.

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Andrea Metcalf explains how walking is a great way to start any fitness program and can lead to jogging, biking, yoga, and pilates. Complement your weekly walking routine with the following yoga poses for focused centering, awareness and strengthening. Here are some great yoga poses for beginners!

Beginners Yoga Poses

Warrior Pose

Point one foot forward and bend at the knee. Take your other foot directly behind the heel of the front foot and point the toe outward to the side. Turn your torso forward and stretch both arms front to back while drawing apart the shoulder blades. Switch sides and inhale and exhale deeply.

Warrior Pose focuses on strengthening and stretching the legs, ankles and feet as well as the hips, groins and shoulders. As the pose opens up the chest, it energizes the body and stimulates the organs. Warrior pose builds balance and stability while also improving circulation and respiration.

Balancing Stick Pose

Stretch one leg back with the heel extended. Set hands into prayer and stretch arms forward while balancing on one leg for 5 to 30 seconds.

Balancing Stick Pose targets the legs, back and torso. While improving balance, it strengthens muscles in the legs, abdomen and back. The yoga posture raises the heart rate, burns calories and increases stamina.

Downward Facing Dog

Place hands on the ground with fingertips spread out. Drive hips backward and upward. Peddle feet to stretch the back of the thighs.

Downward Facing Dog helps with fatigue and stiffness because it creates flexibility and releases tension. The heart-above-the-head position pushes blood flow throughout the body activating the circulatory system to flush out toxins. Boosted circulation keeps the immune system in check and regulates the blood pressure.

Continue to walk 30 minutes a day as a fitness foundation for physical activity and weight management. Then, expand with a yoga practice to maximize your physical, mental and spiritual wellness.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight or experience more serenity, a mixture of mind-body workouts will help you live a healthier and better lifestyle.